www.iFourWinns.com

So...

My hubs are rusty (not just flash rust) and I noticed after getting back from the bay on Sunday that one of them appears to be cracked, which doesn't seem good, or safe....

Looking for thoughts on the oil bath versus grease - do they also have oil bath systems for disc brake hubs?

[Edit] My current hubs have the "spindle lube" system (grease fittings on the spindle to grease the bearings).

Clearly I have never changed my hubs before, so am looking for suggestions and advice. I'll be replacing all 4 hubs including the disc brakes.

Thanks in advance.

Erik

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

It's not a hard job, it's just a messy job. Grease and oil bath both have pros & cons as far as I'm concerned. The new trailers come with oil bath discs.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

The oil bath probably lubricates better with 90w hypoid gear oil vs grease but if the oil bath leaks (and some have) you lose all your lube in a hurry which can't happen with grease...
I like the spindle lube (or super lube) axles that are sold by Champion Trailers...I have had one for 6 years and have never had to repack the bearings in that time...just re-grease and check the grease coming out for water intrusion...if you see it then you clean and repack....

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Lou - I actually have the spindle-lube system as well...

Looking at Champion Trailers, it appears that my options are Tie-Down or Kodiak - any thoughts between the two brands? Galv-X vs. Stainless?

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

FWIW, I've got Tie Down Galv-X and have had zero problems with them.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Thanks Mike. I think that's the way I'm heading.

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

Pulled of wheel #1 last night - not surprisingly the bolts holding the brake caliper are rusted solid....this is going to be fun...

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

are you in salt water...if so...you might want to consider the Kodiak brakes (silver cad plated rotors...stainless are also available but they cost a lot more)...they have a better rep for holding up in salt water than the Tie Downs...

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I do spend time in salt as well as fresh. I managed to get the first disc and hub off and it is a Kodiak 225 setup.

Is Kodiak's Silver/Cad superior to Tie Down's galvanized or stainless systems?

Also, is there supposed to be some identification on the bearings so that I can ensure the correct replacements? If so, I sure cant see any....

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

Most bearings have a number etched into one edge. If not, just take them to your local trailer shop or NAPA and they should be able to match them. If you're replacing bearings, be sure to do the races also (and take one of them to NAPA with you too).

Your caliper bolts should've been installed with blue Loctite. Are you sure that isn't all that's holding them? An impact wrench might be your friend on this one.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I don't have any direct experience because my old 94 Load Rite has a set of surge drums I put on about 6 years ago and I have gotten good service out of them because my boat sits on the mooring all summer and the trailer only goes in salt about 4 times a season...

But I have heard that the Tie Down stainless (non vented rotor) were very troublsome as noted on a number of websites...I have not heard so many complaints about the Tie Down Galvax vented discs (totally different design than the stainless)...most users seem to feel the Kodiak is the best but that's hard to judge. I think that both Load Rite and Venture use the Tie down Galvax vented discs...

I stuck with drums because they worked well for me and I am in a hilly area and with a surge actuator I'd be concerned that the brakes would drag and over heat if I used discs...drums have the return springs to pull the shoes away from the drum...discs have to rely on the back flow of fluid through the actuator...

Which brings up another point...if you put discs on a trailer that had drums...you must either remove the check valve that keeps residual pressure on the system...or put on a disc brake actuator...and add a back up solenoid since discs do work in reverse...unlike free backing drums....

see
http://www.championtrailers.com

and read through the tech articles disc vs drum...

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks for the info guys!

While waiting for my delivery of Kodiak disc brakes, I've been disassembling my old brakes/hubs and it leads me to this question:

Who has spindle-lube hubs and uses bearing buddies? My dealer recommended the bearing buddies years back and I've had them on there, but when I took one off and put a zerc fitting in the spindle, it was like there wasn't any grease in the bearings when I started pumping grease in there.....

I'm contemplating going back to using the spindle lubes with dust caps...

Thoughts?

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

if you really have spindle lube hubs (called Super Lube by Tie Down Engineering...spindle lube by others like Champion Trailers) with the grease zerk in the spindle...you SHOULD NOT use bearing buddies...they defeat the purpose of the spindle lube hubs which is to allow you to pump grease through the spindle...behind and through the inner bearing and then out the outer bearing (comes out the big hole in the metal dust cap that is covered by the rubber cap)...whoever told you that has no idea how the spindle lube system works....look here...
they have 2 styles...one has the grease fitting in the hub itself and the other in the axle spindle...

http://www.tiedown.com/pdf/c718.pdf

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Yup - I have the type with the grease fitting in the spindle, not the hub.

Interesting that the dealer sold me the bearing buddies and installed them...at least they removed the grease fittings from the spindles.....

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

I don't know what they thought they were doing...but they took the best system around and gave you an inferior one...so re-install the grease zerks and use it the way it was designed to work...they work great in my opinion and you can tell when its time to take it apart to clean the bearings...when the grease no longer comes out looking the same color it went in...that tells you (if it looks milky) that water has gotten in and it's time to inspect the bearings...clean and replace the seal in the hub. This system allows you to put the bearings in dry (although I usually hand pack em anyway to install em)...then snug the retainer nut..and get your grease gun and lube the bearings while turing the disc or drum slowly...when you see grease coming out then you can do the final adjustment on the bearings and install the dust cap and rubber plug...

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II